The Register reports that the UK Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is referring Apple’s iTunes service to the European Commission. The OFT is arguing that the 20% difference in price-per-download between the UK and France and Germany is anticompetitive. Apple is blaming good old intellectual property, saying that different licensing regimes between the different Member States, together the different taxes applicable in the different countries have led to the price differences. The licensing differences also mean that Apple can’t make the site of one Member State open to those in other Member States, though this argument has been subject to doubt since iTunes does have a cross-border store which includes some, but not all, EU Member States.
The IPKat awaits the Commission’s decision with interest.
Expensive apples here, here and here
OFT REFERS iTUNES TO COMMISSION
![OFT REFERS iTUNES TO COMMISSION]()
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Monday, December 06, 2004
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